The Right Way To Handle A Bad Review

A one-star review isn’t the end of the world, how you respond in the first hour can turn it into a trust-builder for everyone else reading.

Don’t react, respond fast, own it, take it offline, and keep the good reviews coming.

The quick rundown

• Don’t react straight away, a defensive reply causes more damage than the review itself.
• Respond fast and calmly in public, future customers are watching how you handle it.
• Own your part and apologise, even if some details are wrong, you’re writing for future readers too.
• Take the messy back-and-forth offline with a name and direct line.
• Keep asking happy customers for reviews so a steady flow quietly buries the odd bad one.

Want to go deeper? Read essential guide to review management and content ideas for your Google profile.

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